[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING SHARON STENSAAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2023

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sharon 
Stensaas for her 25 years of serving our Yountville community through 
local journalism.
  Ms. Stensaas founded the Yountville Sun 25 years ago with her 
husband, Oscar. She has served as the editor and publisher during the 
entirety of her tenure, working long hours to faithfully report the 
news.
  The Yountville Sun is a weekly, local paper dedicated to local news 
that is impacting Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and unincorporated 
areas of Napa County adjacent to the Silverado Trail and Highway 29. 
The paper distributes about 3,700 copies every week which are all free 
of cost for the reader. The local issues the paper covers spans a wide 
range of topics including natural disasters, local government 
decisions, and wine news. In 2018, the paper did extensive and 
important coverage on the shooting at a veteran's home in Yountville.
  Through the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, when many other 
publications closed, Ms. Stensaas kept the paper running to ensure her 
community was informed about public health information and other 
newsworthy events. In all her years of publishing, Ms. Stensaas only 
missed one week, when her beloved husband passed away.
  In 2018, the Yountville Sun had the honor of being named ``Small 
Business of the Year'' by the Yountville Chamber of Commerce. The 
impact this paper had on our community is exemplified by a 2016 poll, 
conducted by the National Citizen Survey, which found that the 
Yountville Sun was a major source of news for 80 percent of people in 
the local survey.
  Ms. Stensaas is devoted to providing her community with quality local 
news. She describes her time as the publisher and editor at the 
Yountville Sun as one of the best gifts of her life. She remains 
involved in the Yountville Sun as a member of the board of directors.
  Ms. Stensaas is a proud graduate of California State University, 
Northridge. Outside of her work at the Sun, Ms. Stensaas is also known 
in her community for her generous nature, great sense of humor, 
enjoyment of fishing, and love for Yountville.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Stensaas for her selfless service and 
commitment to the people of Yountville. Therefore, it is fitting and 
proper that we honor her here today.

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